Disposable absorbent articles such as diapers, training pants, incontinence garments, feminine hygiene garments and the like have become very popular in the market place today. Many of these articles include features such as side panels that provide a variety of functions including improved containment characteristics and better, more comfortable fit.
An overriding consideration in the construction of a disposable absorbent article is the cost of manufacturing the article, including the materials cost. The present invention provides methods for manufacturing side panels for absorbent articles with little or no wasted material. Thus, the side panels made by the process of the present invention can be provided at a relatively lower cost than many of the side panels that are current manufacturing using techniques in which material is wasted. Accordingly, the method of the present invention can reduce the overall cost of the absorbent article.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing side panels for absorbent articles with little or no waste.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing relatively low cost side panels for absorbent articles.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing "zero scrap", low cost, elastically extensible side panels for use with absorbent articles.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing little or no scrap, multi-directional side panel for use with absorbent articles.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing little or no scrap multi-piece, multi-directional side panels for use with absorbent articles.